Ironically, though I’ve created a mockumentary about the yoga scene, I’ve found myself wanting more yoga in my life with the passing of each weekly episode. It seems to feed me in a way that no other form of active existence can. It sparks my soul and ignites the little person inside that ‘likes me’. Yoga makes me see that no matter what, were all just doing the best we can with the tool box we were given. Some of us have a big tool box, and others, only have a hammer. Yet if we just give ourselves credit and believe we are enough, we can make amazing things happen.

For me, this show is an example of what can be done with a strong intention. Sure, I have made a ton of mistakes. That’s the fun of it. Life is what happens when you are getting it wrong. I’m going to keep making mistakes! I want to keep learning, so I keep growing. And isn’t that really what its all about? If your ‘stuck on the runway of life’ and never ‘take off’, you might as well be counting the worm holes in your casket.

Season one’s final episode -12 of 12 – wraps up this week! As I say good bye to Season One, I am so very thankful for all of you breathing Life our show. For those of you that can’t get enough, there is still one final upload which is an ‘all in one’ – all 12 episodes in one go! While I will continue to blog as we develop season two, I wanted you all to know that I have personally appreciated each and every one of your comments, thoughts, ‘likes’, ‘tweets’, and even the ‘winking smiley faces’. It has been great to see your enthusiasm. I hope this final episode leaves a burning desire for more! Enjoy!

For the next couple of weeks we want to put out to you a CHALLENGE. We are starting a contest to see who can ‘strike a yoga pose’ in a unique, interesting and unusual place. Maybe its on the top of a mountain. Maybe it is in a car. Maybe it is within a flash mob. We want you to be creative. Take a picture of yourself and go to the following link to enter the contest — > http://ow.ly/fEBYi . Make sure you enter on or before December 5th. The shirt will be the same design as the one worn by Amber, the beautiful actress and fantastic yoga instructor, Ingrid Nilson. I look forward to seeing your creativity. For more details, go to http://ow.ly/fEBYi.

With our season starting to wind down, I am left wondering where to go from here. It has been quite the journey from a two-day shoot in May through to launch the show in September and now we’re already looking at airing the final few episodes. Do I have enough to say for a season two? I think so, but really YOU are the ones to best judge this. Let me know if you want to see more. I’m even open to story ideas that you would like to see! Hit me with your best shot!

Before we get to ‘The C Word’, I wanted to let you know about this week’s special guest! Providing some spice to this week’s episode 10 -Yoga Town – is famous Vancouver based Chef and Sommelier Vikram Vij of the famous Vij’s www.vijs.ca and Vij’s Rangoli Restaurants www.vijsrangoli.ca . Please enjoy the sumptuous virtual taste of India through Vikram’s fabulous guest star presence.

Now onto the dreaded C, which follows the dreaded B word, Black Friday! It’s coming fast and furious. Christmas and/or Chanukah is knocking! With it comes shopping anxiety adding stress to the winter countdown. Allow yourself to focus on the joy of heavenly connections with family and friends sharing love, food and fun, and do your shopping ‘online’. No line ups, no parking woes, no worry.

I was fortunate enough to have two companies come forth with products for Yoga Town. Both of them offer fabulous and unique gift solutions. Saky Sacks www.sakysacks.com is currently offering a special through Nov 25th with 40% off for all online orders. I love these bags and use them daily for everything! And ToeSox www.toesox.com is fabulous company that provides unique foot coverings for the active person regardless of their yoga, dance, running or other activities. With grips on the soles, these socks are great for winter yoga. They are also offering an awesome 15% discount and you can connect to them on our site at www.watchyogatown.com/shop/ . Enjoy make your life easier, shop online, and enjoy the ‘C’ son!

On the streets of Vancouver, there is definitely a look cultivated by us West Coast types. I’m sure if you are reading this, you know what I mean. How many of you have decided that stretchy yoga pants and boots are a perfect match to a baggy hoodie, tight T, bangles, loopy earrings and the occasional head band to match your yoga bag? I call it ‘the yogini’. Those of you that have chosen this route should be proud of your ability to go up or down 15 pounds without a worry, as those stretchy pants hide everything under a baggy hoodie. They are perfect coming into the winter ‘bulge’ season.

I went to the Vancouver Yoga Conference this weekend. I’ve never seen more yoga clothing companies under one roof, ever. Who can resist another yogini outfit? I mean it’s a statement. And all of us that love the stretchy pants are part of a ‘tribe’. We’re the yoginis. We’re the ones that the World is now noticing. We’ve created a stretchy sistahood. We are as moveable and loveable as our clothing! And that is something to be proud of! So, I say to you: do it, wear it, be it, gain weight in it, get your brazillan in it, get married in it. Just do it, fellow sistas. Wear your yogini look everywhere and don’t look back!

Check out singer/songwriter, Sarah McLachlan, in this week’s episode of Yoga Town! She’s part of our stretchy sistahood and a yoga enthusiast! Huge thanks to Sarah for being our guest star!

My yoga classes this week centered abour ‘surrender’. This is not something
that comes naturally to me. I have learned that many of us have ‘control
issues’, and I am at the forefront! The reality is, in the greater
universal landscape, control is not an option. This week’s Yoga Town episode
is all about Amber, Willow’s angst ridden teenage daughter, following the
path of least resistance. She sees an opportunity and take it. What I love
about teenagers is their ability to adapt to change. Right or wrong, they
go with ‘the path of least resistance more often than not. They experience
the ‘good or bad’ of the situation, and then go from there. They change on
the fly and move with what ‘works in that moment’. If only, adulthood could
be so easy!

All of us are changing whether we like it, or not. Could you imagine if life
was just still, without movement, without flow? What would we complain
about? When you think about it, we often complain based on some element of
change. Either we want the change and can’t seem to create it, or the
change occurs and we don’t want it. We seem to have this overriding need to
control ‘everything’ in our lives. And yet, the irony is, we can’t. The
hardest thing in the world is to accept the change. Surrender to the flow.
Just ‘go with it’, as my therapist said. Easy for her to say. She’s
collecting $100 bucks an hour! David Bowie says it best, in his famous song
“Changes”.

As David Bowie sang

“Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don’t want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strain)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time”

My heart goes out to all those in the path of Hurricane Sandy this week. In thinking about this, I wanted to share with you some levity about being in the eye of a hurricane. Hopefully, this will bring a smile to your face during this difficult time for so many.

In my Flow class yesterday, the instructor talked about ‘being the eye of the Hurricane’. Being inside so deep that the outer elements are just washing over you, as you hold still – complete, whole and centered. I was like “Hurricane?” What the heck is she talking about? My life is a hurricane. A chronic type A personality of ‘always doing, never being’, another family crisis brewing, and forever desiring the next thing as opposed to being satisfied with my good fortune.

And, then it hit me. I am the one in the center. I am in control this whirlwind I’ve created. Feeling smug, in control of my hurricane and on top of it all, I went into ‘Crow pose’ with such ease. Proud asses of my classmates were in the air. We were all our own eyes of our own hurricanes. I was taking a big cleansing breathe in when it happened. The essence wafted through the air with an intention to be noticed. I noticed all right. It smelled like peanut butter. But, what do you do? What do you say? Or do you just pretend you didn’t smell it and just let it waft by? This hurricane of nutty odor was crashing in on my ‘eye’, not the third one, the two normally used for sight. As the acrid smell of displeasure continued, tears filled my eyes. As the instructor walked by she kindly reminded all of us that releasing is what we’re here to do. I then thought to myself. I can’t do that? You mean just let ‘er rip, right here in Happy Baby. No way. I didn’t mean for it to come out, but ‘Happy Baby’ is one of those poses that gets me. I was in full pucker, when it escaped. Those unintentional ones are the worst. Fortunately, it didn’t have an odor, just a sound. The instructor walked by and gave me a nod of pleasure.

Only in a yoga class would gas attacks be seen as an enlightening act! And then I realized that while we’re all trying to be ‘the centre of our universe’, ‘the eye of our hurricane’ , ‘controlling our destiny’ there are still elements of life that surprise and perplex. And only a few are smelly ones. The rest are just loud and noticeable! Light and Love to all of you facing your own hurricane.

As Elijah’s yoga business grows, TLC Life-Business Coach, Neela, played by Veena Sood, enters Yoga Town to bring a little ethnic chic to Willow’s yoga boutique. According to Neela, all that is needed is a little Tandoori Loving Care. Really? If life were only that easy!

My friend went on a sojourn to India, and upon her return, she decided to re-identify herself with a new name. ‘Susan’, from Indiana, now wants to be ‘Padma’. She now re-identifies with the lotus flower, the sacred National flower of India, which symbolizes purity, beauty, majesty, grace, fertility, wealth, richness, knowledge and serenity. No matter how much she identifies herself with India, she isn’t from India. She’s from Indiana. Yoga class after yoga class, I keep referring to her as ‘Susan’. She corrects me, and I still get it wrong. I ask, “ Why Padma?” She responds, “I am now pure again… Padma represents Purity.” And I remember her tears over the last five ex-boyfriends, and question the ‘purity line’. She shrugs. I suggest other names that represent purity. ‘Blanche’, the name associated with whiteness and purification. Or ‘Lily’, the other flower -name that is the symbol of purity and innocence. Or ‘Candida’, the color associated by Christians for purity and salvation.” [We agree Candida might be a bad choice.] I then say, “I already know three other white women that are named Padma.” And she concurs that Padma is popular name and yet accepts this with a kind twinkle as so goes into headstand without any struggle.

I’m wondering, why are so many white women named Padma? If you have an answer, please write a comment and let me know. I would love to hear it!

Episode 4: With Elijah setting up Camp, Willow holds a staff meeting with Chas and Ingrid, to come up with ideas to ‘get rid of him’. Chas and Ingrid put their heads together and come up with some ideas, one of which strikes the cord of Willow’s heart! As Willow prepares for a battle of the yogis, Chas takes every opportunity possible to ‘show some love’, without much coming back. Fighting fire with fire, Willow embraces the idea that she brings in some ‘help’ to gain back her dignity and her clients!